Mayor on Duty

Last Thursday's town board meeting was very productive, even though only a few agenda items had a definitive vote for an ultimate action and outcome. Most agenda items involved extended discussions and ended with directions to the town staff, the town attorney, and board committees to examine the issue in detail and return to the full board with recommendations for final action. One example was the proposal by residents living near the Highlands Cemetery to make the two roads going to the Highlands Cemetery into a one-way system. Currently, motorists frequently make a left turn at the south entrance to Memorial Park, which has a blind curve. The north entrance provides ample sight distance for a safe left turn. The board endorsed the one-way concept and directed the town staff, the public safety committee, and the police department to develop a detailed plan including signage that would be used to implement the one-way plan. Another item of discussion was a master plan for the B-1 district and the adjacent town government property, where town hall, the police department, and the Highlands ABC store are located. Our town manager said it is time to review improvements to the B-1 district's design and streetscape, along with other issues, such as how to repurpose the property where the Highlands Playhouse stood. The board directed town staff to develop a request for proposals that professional planning companies could respond to for a master plan for these areas. After reviewing these proposals, an outside firm will be given the task of developing the master plan. I believe now is the right time to conduct this kind of study to identify improvements for this critical area. Another long discussion centered around attachments by communication providers to town utility poles. By state law, these providers have the right to attach to utility poles owned by the town of Highlands. But in recent years, a proliferation of pole attachments has created jumbled, unsightly images throughout the town. We also now have double pole attachments in some places, where companies have still been connected to old utility poles with a new, larger pole right next to them. Many of the lines are heavy copper bundles that are now obsolete since telephone providers have dropped landline services to residents. It will take a long time, but the town needs to work with these companies in cleaning up the proliferation of lines and where they are attached. Our town attorney, the public works committee, and the department will develop a plan in the coming weeks to address this issue, a problem that will take several years to resolve. A final issue that garnered a lot of attention and discussion was hunting, specifically hunting bears within the town limits. Our current ordinance centers on prohibiting the discharge of firearms within town limits. The police chief informed the board of reports of hunters running dogs within the town and one case where a bear may have been killed with a firearm being discharged in Highlands. Again, the town attorney will work with the public safety committee and the police department in revising the hunting ordinances to address these concerns. In summary, I anticipate several proposed changes to current town ordinances. These changes will take effect after careful consideration and opportunities for the public to weigh in.

Mayor on Duty

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